| Many times, parents ask whether homeschooling | | | | superior. However, homeschooled students were |
| works. It's true that parents know that public | | | | even functioning above their private school peers. |
| schools can often have problems, but they don't | | | | In addition, homeschooling costs less than either |
| know that they can do any better if they teach | | | | private or public school does. On average, public |
| their children themselves that if they send their | | | | schools spent $6,500 per student per year. |
| children to public school. As an alternative, some | | | | Private schools spent $3,500 per student per |
| parents opt for private school. Since a child's | | | | year. Homeschoolers spent just $550 per student |
| education is so important, though, they're | | | | per year. Of course, the last number does not |
| understandably cautious when they think of | | | | adjust for the fact that a parent teaches for |
| homeschooling their children themselves. | | | | "free" and teachers are paid monetarily. |
| However, numerous studies show that | | | | Public school first became commonplace in the |
| homeschooling in large part produces superior | | | | second half of the 19th century. At that time, |
| results as compared to public or even private | | | | more and more states made at least basic |
| schooling. Part of this may be due to the fact | | | | education compulsory. This was done in an |
| that homeschooling by default means that parents | | | | attempt to increase literacy rates. Prior to that |
| are involved in their children's educations. This is | | | | time, many parents were only barely literate in |
| also often true in public or private school | | | | the English language themselves, often because |
| education, but not always. Therefore, may be | | | | they had just immigrated to the United States. |
| parental involvement is the deciding factor, rather | | | | Nonetheless, despite this, illiteracy rates in |
| than the homeschooling situation itself. | | | | Massachusetts in 1840 were still just 2% among |
| However, even when this is taken into | | | | adults. By 1995, that figure had jumped to 19%, |
| consideration, homeschooling still produces better | | | | despite the supposedly increased emphasis on |
| results versus public or private school. | | | | literacy in recent years as well as a much greater |
| A study sponsored by the US Department of | | | | availability of books and other reading materials. |
| Education showed that homeschooling students' | | | | Presently, approximately one million children are |
| scores were "exceptionally high" as compared to | | | | homeschooled in America yearly. Many thousands |
| their peers. Every grade showed median scores | | | | have attended universities and colleges. Some of |
| higher than those for public or even parochial or | | | | those colleges were prestigious and very difficult |
| private school students. Homeschooled students | | | | to get into. With homeschooling, peer pressure |
| who would have been in grades one through four | | | | that normally plagues children otherwise eager to |
| functioned at least a grade level above their | | | | learn is absent. Instead, the parent or tutor, as |
| peers. By the time they reached what was the | | | | well as any "classmates," only encourage the |
| equivalent of eighth grade, they were four years | | | | student. |
| ahead of their public school peers. | | | | In short, homeschooling is a wonderful way to |
| In part, this may be explained by the fact that | | | | give your child an education if you're up to the |
| public schools in general often do a substandard | | | | task. |
| job and not that homeschooling is by default | | | | |